


The Spirit of Friendship

by puppyuke (svana_vrika)



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Betrayal, First Kiss, M/M, Secret Admirer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-23
Updated: 2016-02-23
Packaged: 2018-05-22 21:41:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6094959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/svana_vrika/pseuds/puppyuke
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jealousy can turn even the best of friends into treacherous souls</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Spirit of Friendship

**Author's Note:**

> Written in 2006 for a SFFTC challenge for the defunct Yahoo! group, A Dragons Lair. Betaed by Seshats_Prodigy, but I touched it last. All mistakes are my own.
> 
> Disclaimer: The following is written solely for fun, and no infringement is intended. Yu-gi-Oh! and the scenarios and characters involved are the intellectual property of Kazuki Takahashi. No spoilers of which I'm aware.
> 
> Minor mention of other canon characters. No spoilers of which I'm aware

“What… _’Puppy’_?” The wild-haired teen smiled softly at the other’s hesitant nod. “I… don’t know, Jounouchi-kun. He’s a very complex person. It’s difficult to understand _much_ of what he chooses to do.” He cocked his head slightly in a subconscious imitation of one of the blonde’s more endearing habits. “Jounouchi-kun, why is this bothering you so much? I mean, despite the friendship that the two of you formed during your humanities project last quarter, you bicker and name-call almost as much now as you have since the first day you met.” 

For a moment, Jounouchi permitted his mind to wander back to the assignment his friend had mentioned. Their humanities class had done a small unit on family law, and the sensei had paired him and Kaiba together, asking them to demonstrate the differences and similarities in their familial situations. At first, he’d been anxious about what he’d have to reveal to his then-enemy but, much to his relief, Kaiba had been just as reluctant to discuss his own, personal past as he’d been. After a couple of intense arguments, they’d decided to proceed by using their siblings to illustrate the necessary points. A gentle blush spread across the taller teen’s face as he thought about the pleasurable moments that had ensued. Their softer feelings for Shizuka and Mokuba had flavoured their conversations with tender smiles, amused laughter, and shared frustrations and, by the time their ‘A’ project had been completed, a friendship had been forged, _‘Even if we **do** spar just as much as we did before,’_ Jounouchi sighed dejectedly. A low chuckle brought him from his musings and he looked over at the smaller male, his colour deepening at the knowing grin on the other’s face.

“You _like_ him.” 

“So what if I do?” Instantly the blonde was riled. “Kaiba’s brilliant and gorgeous, he’s got a _wicked_ sense of humour, he doesn’t take crap from _anyone_ , and you _know_ he’s got a loving and caring side…“ Jounouchi paused and sighed again- a tinge of longing mingling with the melancholia this time. “…Even _if_ he hardly shows it to anyone but Mokuba. I can’t help it,” he murmured almost shyly, his bashful smile merely adding to his beauty. “I like him. I like him _a lot_ ” The light in Jounouchi’s gorgeous eyes suddenly dimmed. “And, with Valentine’s Day coming up…”

The one in the darkness rolled his eyes and carefully closed off his thoughts from his other. As long as his soul partner was so occupied, he wouldn’t notice anyway. He knew, because he’d taken to skulking around in their shared mind out of boredom long ago. _‘Valentine’s Day…’_ The spirit frowned and kicked angrily at one of the many sealed doors scattered throughout the labyrinth that made up the majority of their mind. _‘And, he wants to spend it with **Kaiba** of all people? **Damn it**!’_ He delivered another kick to yet another locked door, this one hard enough to hurt his toe. _‘He should be wanting **me** , not that pompous, arrogant, self-righteous, cold-hearted… **prick**!’_ His eyes and mouth both turned down in a sulking scowl, he dropped down onto one of the stairs and absently rubbed his sore foot. _‘That baka out there, he’ll just encourage him… and, if Jounouchi-kun gets **any** kind of confidence, he’s just fiery enough in body **and** spirit to melt Kaiba’s layer of ice.’_ Despite his irritation, the spirit’s eyes darkened with lust at the thought of the blonde’s lithe figure. Granted, the other had a different gym period, so he’d only had the pleasure of ogling Jounouchi at the beach a couple of times. But, the images he’d retained from those encounters provided him almost instant and _always_ intense gratification when he’d lay in the darkness… pleasuring himself… 

For a moment, he considered addressing the stirring in his groin right then and there, but a feeling of schmoozy, _brotherly_ warmth somehow found its way through the barrier between him and his other, instantly killing the erection that had started to form. ‘ _Damn it_!’ he cursed again silently, rising to his feet and storming around in the darkness. _‘If I don’t hurry up and do **something** , he’ll talk Jounouchi-kun into trying, and then I’ll be fucked!’_ Ignoring the taunting, _‘And not in the good way,’_ that his mind echoed after the thought, he stopped and kicked viciously at yet another door. _‘But, how can I sabotage his chances with Kaiba without drawing suspicion to myself?’_

Almost as if in answer to his snarled query, a click echoed suddenly through the gloom, and he realized that the door he’d abused had actually swung open. Torn between anticipation and trepidation, he walked through the portal into an even deeper darkness than that of the labyrinth proper. The spirit looked around curiously for a moment, frustration quickly replacing his inquisitiveness when he realized that the room was undeniably empty. His scowl returning, he pivoted on his heel and stalked toward the door, only to have it swing shut mere inches in front of his face. However, before he could so much as curse his misfortune, a series of visions began to pass before his eyes. Quickly ensuring that his barrier was still in place, he then focused in on the images, his frown morphing into an eerie, Cheshire cat grin. ‘ _Perfect_ …’

“Anyway, like I said…” Abruptly the petite male trailed off, a distant light entering his eyes. 

Jounouchi sat quietly and waited, by then well used to the phenomenon. However, when he didn’t come out of it immediately, the blonde’s brow furrowed slightly. “Hey…” When his friend still didn’t respond, Jou reached out and shook him gently. “Hey, buddy, you okay?” 

“Hmm? Oh, Jounouchi-kun… yes…” the wild-haired teen smiled apologetically. “I just thought I sensed something… off… is all. Anyhow, _I_ think you should go for it. You and he would be good for each other, I think… not to mention the fact that you’d make a _gorgeous_ couple.” Jou blushed at the other’s coy wink. “Give me some time to think on it, and I’ll see if I can figure out any way to help.” Suddenly, his eyes widened as he looked at the clock. “We’ve got to go; you’ve spent so much time talking that we’re going to be late for school!” 

This time it was the blonde who wore the contrite smile. “Sorry, Yug’,” he murmured, throwing an arm around him in a friendly hug. “But, if it counts for anything, I _do_ feel better after our talk…” 

“That’s good, Jounouchi-kun,” Yugi smiled, patting Jou’s hand where it lay on his shoulder and then stepping out of the embrace toward the door. “You deserve to be truly happy, and I’ll do what I can to help you achieve that. You know that, ne?” 

“I know. Thanks, Yug’.” The taller teen offered him a brilliant grin as they jogged toward the school, only to have it falter a moment later when a sleek, black limo bearing the plate KAIBA01 passed by and left them in the dust. “I’ll need all the help I can get,” he added with a sigh.

******

“What?” The grin that formed over Jounouchi’s features threatened to split his face. “No way! You mean it?”

“That’s what he said.” The shorter teen grinned as well, his expression one of happy anticipation for his friend. 

“God, that’s _perfect_!” The blonde leaned back against the service counter next to the register, sighing contentedly as he stretched his legs out in front of him with his arms over his head. “I can’t believe it. It’s almost like… destiny, you know?” For a moment, all was silent and then Jounouchi spoke again, a soft blush tingeing his lightly tanned skin. “Uh… there didn’t happen to be any mention of an ancient _me_ in that memory room, did there? You know…” Jou dropped his eyes as the colour on his cheeks deepened. “Anything that might have shown a… _deeper_ relationship between him and me? Something like that?”

The wild haired teen chuckled softly. “You really _do_ have it bad for him, don’t you?” Slowly, his smile faded and he sighed. “I’d have to say no, as he didn’t make mention of seeing anything like that- and, I doubt that he would have neglected to share something of that magnitude. And,” he continued, his delicate mouth curving down into a small frown, “For whatever reason, the door won’t open for me. It seems to respond to him only, so I can’t get in there and investigate the memories further.” Seeing his friend’s face fall slightly, he hurried on. “But, he _did_ share some very insightful information as to his likes and dislikes…and, seeing as his _outward_ persona hasn’t changed much over the past five millennia,” he couldn’t help but chuckle, “I can’t imagine that his tastes have done so, either. Here.” The smaller male handed Jounouchi a piece of paper. “Here is a list of the things he loved the most back then.”

“ _Perfect_ ,” the blonde crowed again, his excited eyes quickly scanning the five noted items. “I’ll get this stuff together, and then next week I’ll start giving him the presents. With Valentine’s Day being on a Friday, I can gift him once a day and, depending on how he reacts, reveal who I am and ask him out when I give the last one!” A sudden jingling of the bell on the door warned them that someone had entered the store. “Thanks, Yug’,” Jou murmured, righting himself into a more ‘dignified’ position in front of the counter. 

“Any time, Jounouchi-kun,” he replied cheerily, a small smirk quirking his mouth when the customer stepped into view. “And, good luck!” 

“Hnn… good luck with _what_ , Puppy?” The blonde fought down a blush at the sound of the familiar, seductive tenor. 

“None of your business, Moneybags,” Jounouchi shot back automatically, silently berating himself for the curt statement as soon as he had said it. “I mean,” he corrected sheepishly as he turned to face the other, keeping his new objective in mind. “It’s nothing that you would be interested in. Sorry, Kaiba,” he added as an afterthought, missing the brief look of surprise that flashed through the brunette’s eyes at the use of the word. “I didn’t mean to be so short; I’ve just got a lot on my mind today, is all. See you later,” he murmured, nodding almost shyly and offering him a tentative smile as he beat a hasty retreat. “And thanks again, Bud!” he called back to the teen behind the register. 

Kaiba stared curiously after the blonde, the fact that his gaze lingered on Jounouchi’s ass not escaping the wild-haired male. His normally wide, friendly eyes narrowing in less than an instant, he demanded coolly, “Is there something I can help you with, or did the only thing you came here for just walk out of the shop?”

Startled by the roughened voice and blunt question, the brunette turned back to the counter, quickly hiding his surprise behind his own cold mask. “And just what in the hell is _that_ supposed to mean?” he growled. 

“I think you know full well what that means,” the shorter teen returned evenly, his visage quickly returning to its normal, kind expression as a very bored-looking Mokuba rounded the display of Duel Monsters cards.

“Isn’t Jounouchi here?” the boy demanded of no one in particular.

“You just missed him, Mokuba-kun,” Yugi replied cheerily. “He headed out right after you got here. Maybe your brother frightened him away,” he grinned, his gaze darting to the taller Kaiba. “I mean, the animosity between the two of them is almost legendary, ne? You just never know what one’s going to do to the other; I’m surprised neither one has ended up seriously injured,” he added with a giggle. 

The raven-haired boy rolled his eyes, quite obviously not interested, and more than a little irritated by the other’s inane prattling. “Come on, Nii-sama; can we go _now_?” he all but whined. Nodding curtly to the wild-haired teen, the brunette permitted his brother to tug him toward the door, wondering in the back of his mind if there’d been a threat behind the other’s words. 

*****  
Kaiba sat in his limo, scowling out at the traffic jam through his window. Normally, the delay didn’t bother him- the principal was _more_ than willing to look past any tardy’s he might accrue. But, truth be told, he felt like shit that morning. He’d woken up just fine and had run through his usual routine without a hitch, but now… Abruptly, the brunette’s usually staid features scrunched up in a most undignified manner, and seconds later, the passenger compartment of the limo reverberated with the sound of his sneeze. Cursing under his breath he reached for his handkerchief, only to have it happen again… and again… and again. “ _Damn_ it!” he finally growled, scrubbing furiously at his leaking nose and resisting the urge to claw his eyes out from the sudden itching. “What in the _hell_ …’ Suddenly, a brief waft of _something_ made its way through his clogged sinuses. Turning toward the source of the scent, he realized it was being carried in on the air coming through his vent- which flowed through the driver’s compartment before reaching his own. His eyes now watering to the point that he could barely see, he fumbled for the intercom button. “Ouga!” he snapped, pausing to fire off four more deafening sneezes. “Do you have _flowers_ up there?” 

“Yes, Kaiba-sama…” The chauffeur’s voice was surprised, and a bit apprehensive. “A delivery man from Geckou’s satellite store in Domino dropped them off just before you got in. Naturally, I examined the contents to verify that they were, indeed, flowers. And, they are. Lilies, to be exact. The note attached asked that they not be given to you until you’d reached the school…” Ouga winced as four more sneezes echoed over the intercom. “It also states that they’re from a ‘secret admirer.’ Did I…” The man paused and swallowed nervously as he pulled the limo to a stop in front of the school. “Did I do something wrong? Kaiba-sama?” he repeated tentatively, actually ‘eeping’ when the front passenger door was almost violently jerked open. 

“Just get rid of them,” Kaiba wheezed, reaching in and yanking the note from the top of the box. “And then get this vehicle detailed; I don’t want a _trace_ of this _stench_ in my car when you come and retrieve me this afternoon!” Ouga nodded in understanding, fighting a suicidal urge to laugh at the way his employer’s menacing scowl morphed into an almost cute expression as the brunette attempted to stave off another sneeze. 

Dismissing the driver by slamming the car door shut, Kaiba strode toward the building, trying to blink away the burning in his eyes so that he could focus on the note. Geckou’s was a fairly elite florist, catering mostly to the wealthy and the more prestigious businesses, such as KaibaCorp. That meant that, whoever it was, they’d spent a considerable amount of money, and, for a moment, the brunette felt a pang of something akin to guilt at the thought. However, it passed just as quickly as it had flared when he realized he wouldn’t glean a _thing_ from the computer-printed note. His scowl returning, he crumpled the paper and tossed it toward the nearest trash receptacle, only to curse under his breath when- due to his impaired vision- it missed by a good three inches.

“Geeze, Kaiba…” The brunette blinked again, managing to focus in time to see Jounouchi’s fine ass as the blonde bent to retrieve the litter, every tantalizing curve well defined against the cheap material of the Domino High uniform pants. “For as good as you are at everything, I can’t believe you missed that shot.” Before the taller teen could wrap his mind around the sincerity behind the compliment, the blonde had straightened and deposited the trash into the basket. “I mean really,” the other continued, his gently teasing tone further stunning the brunette as he finally turned to face him. “What were you? Like three fee… _Jesus_ , Kaiba,” Jou gasped, “You look like _shit_!” The blonde’s eyes widened further when the normally healthy male fired off yet another round of sneezes. “Are you alright?” he asked, a tinge of concern creeping into his voice. 

“Do I _look_ alright?” Kaiba snapped, the redness around his eyes and the blotchiness of his normally perfect skin tone detracting from the severity of his scowl. 

“Well, what in the hell’s wrong with you then?” he demanded, a tinge of snark entering his voice despite himself at the other’s curt tone.

“Some ‘secret admirer’ sent me _flowers_ of all things,” Kaiba rasped, pausing to blow his nose and completely missing the way Jou’s pace faltered slightly as a result. “I wish I knew who had done it so I could kick their ‘secret ass’. What?” he demanded when he finally lowered his handkerchief and spied the blonde’s stricken look.

“Well, it’s just… I mean… Geeze, Kaiba!” he finally exploded, hoping the brunette would attribute his flush of colour to his angry outburst. “Give the guy a break! Chances are that, if he’s a _secret_ admirer, he didn’t know you hated flowers, okay? I mean, Christ… most people would be flattered by the gesture, you know? _God_ , why do you have to be such an ass?”

“I’m not an ass, I’m allergic!” the brunette retorted tersely, sighing in obvious relief when they stepped into the filtered air of the school foyer. “Flowers, candles, perfumes- anything with a heavy scent does this to me!” Kaiba plopped his attaché down and toed off his outdoor shoes. “And, to add insult to injury, the baka sent me lilies!” he huffed, slipping on his school shoes and rising to his feet.

”What’s wrong with that?” Jou demanded as he trailed after him down the hall, mentally wincing as he recalled the exorbitant price of the flowers, and wondering if he’d somehow read the list incorrectly. “Lilies are _beautiful_ flowers, and…” 

“And, they reek to high heaven, and symbolize death,” Kaiba finished tersely, bringing a hand up to rub at his temple. A massive headache was lurking behind the fog in his mind, and it wasn’t just from the flowers. Something about the whole situation seemed... off, but between the allergies and the puppy dogging his every step… The brunette’s puffy eyes widened slightly. _‘The puppy…’_ Abruptly, he whirled around to confront the smaller male- only to find that he was no longer right behind him; he had stopped by Mutou’s locker and was conversing quite animatedly with the wild-haired teen. “Ludicrous,” he muttered, having to forcibly keep his shoulders from slumping. “Like he could have afforded them anyway. And, besides…” The brunette scowled fiercely, turning his back on the sight of his rival flinging his arms around Jounouchi, the hint of warning in the petite duelist’s voice echoing mockingly through his mind. “There’s that.” 

*****

“Is he _sure_?” A brief moment of silence followed Jounouchi’s query. 

“Yes,” the other finally declared, his small, but expressive, brow furrowed slightly. “He says that he’s positive.” 

“’kay.” The blonde’s expression was still slightly dubious. “’Cause I’d hate for a repeat of this morning to happen, you know?” 

“Jounouchi-kun, relax.” The shorter male smiled up at him benignly. “So he developed allergies over the past few millennia; these sorts of variables are bound to happen, you know?” His grin faltered slightly when the blonde’s doubtful expression remained. “Jounouchi-kun? Don’t you trust…?”

“ _Of course I do!_ ” Jou interrupted loudly, a sheepish blush almost instantly colouring his features as he apologized in a much more appropriate tone of voice. “He’s one of my best buds! But, you saw Kaiba this morning; can you blame me for wanting to double check? Listen,” he sighed, rubbing absently at his forehead in a subconscious mimic of his crush. “Let’s just pass on tomorrow’s gift, okay?” Jou tried to ignore the silent protest that came from his wallet at the statement. “Kaiba said that anything really smelly affects him just as bad as the flowers and besides, with my missing homeroom tomorrow because of the track team meeting, I wouldn’t get to see him open it anyway.”

“So, _don’t_ give him the basket, right?”

“That’s right. I’ll just move on to phase three- give him a day to feel better so he can enjoy the next present.” The blonde slid from the counter to his feet, and then patted the shorter male’s shoulder affectionately. “Thanks for your help, pal,” he grinned, tossing a casual wave over his shoulder as he walked out the door. 

“Any time, Jounouchi-kun,” Yugi murmured, his lips curving up in a smile as he watched his friend stride away down the sidewalk.

*****

The blonde jogged hurriedly toward his homeroom, anxious to make it to class before the bell rang. His meeting had finished early, and he was determined to spend as much of the remaining ten minutes of the period as he could gazing longingly at the back of Kaiba’s head. Jou chuckled breathlessly to himself. Hell, it sounded pathetic, even to him. But, if he _didn’t_ try and take advantage of the time he had left, his next ‘ogling opportunity’ wouldn’t be until lunch- and that was only if the brunette opted to ‘dine in’ that day. Suddenly, a horrifically familiar sound reverberating down the hallway brought him to a screeching halt as he rounded the final corner. “Oh, Yugi, you _didn’t_ ,” he moaned, forcing himself to continue as the four successive sneezes echoed in his mind. The blonde sprinted to the doorway, sagging in winded disbelief against the frame at the sight that met his eyes- a swollen, sneezing, sniffling, _very_ pissed off Kaiba Seto, the floor around his desk _covered_ with elegantly tapered candles, vials of massage oils, and other sundry- and sensual- bathing products. “Fucking hell, he _did_ ,” Jou muttered under his breath, his pallor matching the colour of the Ylang Ylang scented bath salts that had spilled into the aisle. 

“Jounouchi-kun!” The sensei’s sharp voice jerked the blonde out of his bewilderment. “If your meeting is over and you are _quite_ done gaping at Kaiba-kun, you are more than welcome to join the rest of the class.”

The colour returned to the blonde’s face at record-breaking speed, hitting beet red in .003 seconds- which was exactly how long it had taken for the brunette to swivel in his seat and pin him with a slightly curious, but mostly suspicious, gaze. _‘Unless it’s just that his eyes are so swollen that I’m imagining it,’_ Jou thought as he mumbled an apology to the Sensei and took his seat. However, the look continued to haunt him and, less than two minutes later, he found himself tapping the taller teen on the shoulder.

“What?” Kaiba rasped without bothering to turn around.

“Why did you look at me like that?” Jou hissed in return, keeping his voice low to disguise his nervousness.

Torn between irritation at the ambiguity of the question and amusement at Jounouchi’s obvious anxiety, the brunette turned and arched a brow. “Could you be more specific as to when and how?” he demanded coolly. 

“ _You_ know; just a few minutes ago… when Sensei told me to…” 

“Ah, yes…” Seto managed to keep his gaze impassive. “When she told you to stop staring…” 

“Gaping!” Jou interrupted hurriedly, his cheeks flooding with colour yet again. “She said gaping, _not_ staring!” 

The brunette smirked despite himself. “And the difference is…?”

“Well, it’s just… I mean…” 

Kaiba’s smile widened slightly, the irritation over his allergies all but forgotten in his enjoyment of seeing the puppy squirm. “Fine. Why were you ‘gaping’ at me, then?”

“I _wasn’t_! I mean I _was_ , but you see…” Jou couldn’t help it. His gaze dropped to the items scattered on the floor. “Damn it!” he blurted suddenly. “That baka shouldn’t have given that crap to you! He _knew_ that it would make you sick just like the flowers did, but he just went ahead and did it _anyway_! I mean, what was he think-” 

“He?” Kaiba interrupted, quirking a brow at the blonde, the flicker of hope that had died the other day flaring back to life when Jounouchi blanched and began to sputter again.

“He… she… whoever…” 

“But, you said ‘he’ yesterday, as well,” the brunette recalled with a smirk. “And, tell me, Puppy,” he continued, his tenor even more husky than normal due to the lingering scents. “If ‘he’ was a _secret_ admirer, how would ‘he’ have known that the _flowers_ made me sick, ne? From what _I_ remember, _you_ were the only one that I told…” Seto cut himself off abruptly, his blood running cold and his eyes narrowing as the significance of those words hit him dead on. “Nice, Jounouchi,” he growled, hiding his hurt behind an angry façade. “For _some_ reason, I thought we were friends.” The brunette grabbed his attaché and stood when the dismissal bell rang. “Thanks for showing me the error of my ways,” he sneered over his shoulder.

“Kaiba, wait!” Jou scrambled to his feet. “I didn’t… do it,” he muttered to the empty room, the swish of the brunette’s trench coat rounding the corner his only reply.

*****

Seto scowled as he stalked down the hallway, the expression in his eyes and the tension in his carriage broadcasting the danger of approaching him loud and clear to teachers and schoolmates alike. He’d never felt more hurt… more betrayed- and the fact that he couldn’t move beyond the feelings merely served as fuel to his fury. Out of nowhere, Yugi’s words from the other day echoed mockingly through his mind: ‘…the animosity between the two of them is almost legendary, ne? You just never know what one’s going to do to the other…’ 

“Fuck,” Kaiba muttered to himself as he stepped outside, his scowl deepening when his curse word of choice brought a picture of the blonde to his mind. “How could I have been so _stupid_ as to think he might actually _like_ me?” 

Almost as if to taunt him, the sound of Jounouchi’s voice suddenly drifted up from the bus stop, the angry tones piquing the brunette’s interest despite himself. “…would you go ahead and _give_ it to him?” the blonde was demanding irately. “Especially after I specifically said _not_ to?” 

“But I _didn’t_!” Seto’s eyes widened in surprise when he heard Yugi’s voice. “You said to not give him the basket, and I _didn’t_!” The brunette rolled his eyes when the wild-haired teen’s voice took on a tearful quality. “How was I supposed to know you meant the _whole gift_? As far as I knew, the cedar that the basket was made out of was the only thing that had a scent. I… I’m sorry, Jounouchi-kun…I just did what I thought was best…” 

The rest of the conversation was lost to the rumble of the bus, but Kaiba had heard enough. Regret over his- albeit somewhat founded- accusation drowning out his anger and outrage, he headed straight for his limo, determined to come up with a way to make it up to the blonde. _‘Preferably before he kills me with any future ‘kindnesses’,’_ the brunette thought wryly, the echo of four successive sneezes wafting across the deserted schoolyard. 

*****

Jou lay on his bed, scowling up at the ceiling, hurt, anger, and uncertainty whirling around like a maelstrom in his head. Despite the petite teen’s repeated apologies, the blonde was still irked by the faux pas, and every time he recalled Kaiba’s reaction, his irritation with his friend would flare even higher. “The _basket_ ” he snorted, flopping over and punching fiercely at this pillow. “Christ, I know Yug’s naïve, but that just borders on _stupid_!” Immediately, guilt rushed in to join the whirlwind of emotions. After all, Yugi had been his friend for _ages_ , and the bond Jou had formed with Yami merely strengthened that tie. Kaiba, on the other hand, _still_ continued to taunt and torment him… call him names. Jou sighed and buried his head in his pillow. But, as of late, he’d _thought_ he’d sensed an almost flirtatious undertone to some of the brunette’s comments. At first he’d convinced himself that he was imagining things. But, eventually hope had overcome his doubt, and, when Kaiba had quite effectively squashed Otogi for insulting Jou with a _dog_ comment, he’d finally decided to throw caution to the wind and do something about it- which had led the blonde to seek council with his friend. Which had, in turn, led to his present situation: there he was, three days shy of Valentine’s Day, and the object of his affections was once again loathe to speak to him. His common sense was telling him to cut his losses and run- to give Kaiba his space and see if he would forgive him and at least be his friend again. His heart, however, was _quite_ reluctant to do so and, as usual, it had no problem in convincing Jounouchi to push the logical response aside and listen to it, instead. 

The blonde sighed again and sat up, his eyes immediately training to the elegantly wrapped package on his desk. Despite the fact that it had _completely_ wiped out his savings to procure it, he had almost scratched on giving it to Kaiba and going with something else. However, the tantalizing scent that wafted to his nostrils whenever he’d walk by and the fact that he’d seen the brunette eat chocolate with his own two eyes had convinced him otherwise. Furthermore, chocolate hadn’t been on Yugi’s list; nuts had. Fortunately, when he’d gone to pick up the pre-ordered box from the chocolatier that afternoon, the clerk- after a few bats of his eyelashes on Jounouchi’s part- had been more than willing to replace the three chocolate-covered nuts in the assortment with three others from the ‘choose your own’ display behind the counter. Paranoid? Yes… but he wasn’t taking any chances. 

*****

“Puppy,” Kaiba murmured to himself, his eyes filled with a mixture of disbelief and longing as he stared at the display that taunted him from his desk. Licking his lips, he slowly advanced into the deserted classroom, reaching out a slightly trembling hand to caress the ribbon around his gift and shift the bow. “ _God_ ,” he moaned lowly, his eyes hungrily scanning what he’d revealed- an elegantly written label that read, ‘Chocolats Rohr: Geneva’. Swiftly checking to ensure that he was still alone, the brunette tugged slowly on the pale green tulle and then removed the lid, moaning lowly again when the rich scent of the decadent treat filled the air. As if drawn by the aroma, the sound of students approaching the room reached his ears, and reluctantly, he schooled his expression into his usual, cool mask as he took his seat. 

_‘Rohr,’_ he mused silently as the first of his classmates meandered in. _‘Between these and the other two gifts, I **know** he has had to damned near empty his savings…’_ The brunette’s eyes softened, touched by Jounouchi’s generosity- if a little frustrated by the extravagance. _‘And, the fact that he’s continued with the whole ‘secret admirer’ façade, even though he knows that I know, is just so… **him**.’_ Seto couldn’t help it; a gentle smile curved up his mouth at the thought, only to vanish just as quickly as he added, _‘I just wish I knew if I dared eat them…’_ He knew that Rohr had two plants in Geneva; their larger, main factory where 95% of their chocolates were produced, and then a smaller building where the remaining 5% were created in a ‘nut free’ environment. There were very few chocolatiers that catered to those with nut allergies, and Rohr was his absolute favorite- which meant that either Jounouchi had done his homework, or his legendary success with anything involving chance had served him well yet again. Either way, Seto was touched by the gesture, especially given how rudely he had parted from the blonde the day before. 

“What do you have there, Kaiba?” 

The brunette waited a moment before turning around, finding himself once again fighting a tender smile at the hint of nervousness that refused to be hidden by Jounouchi’s attempt at a coolly curious query. “Chocolates,” he replied finally, once again gazing longingly at the treats. Suddenly he was struck with an idea and, grabbing the box, he turned and offered it to Jou. Granted, it wasn’t 100% fool-proof, but it would at least give him a better indication as to if he dared try one or not. “Here, take one.” Seto didn’t fight the smile this time when he saw Jou’s surprise. “Consider it a peace offering for yesterday.” His smile widened when the blonde visibly relaxed, his brilliant grin accenting the soft, pleasured tinge of pink on his gorgeous face. 

“Thanks, Kaiba.” Amber eyes scanned the box with interest, landing on an elongated, white confection with a dollop of dark chocolate on the top. Remembering just in time to not pop the whole thing into his mouth, Jou delicately bit the candy in half, rolling his eyes in pleasure as the whipped center melted against his tongue. 

Forcibly tearing his eyes from the tantalizing sight, the brunette picked the matching chocolate from the opposite side. However, his hope was short-lived when, as soon as the treat touched his mouth, the telltale tingling began to spread through his lips. “I’m sorry, Puppy,” he sighed, reluctantly placing the confection on his desk and hoping that he’d not had enough of an exposure to trigger a full-fledged reaction. “But, I can’t eat these; I’m horribly allergic to nutmeats.”

“But…“ Jou sputtered, struggling to tamp down the sudden, driving need to hunt Yugi down and kill him where he stood. “Kaiba, I _swear_ , there’s not a nut in _any_ of them; I asked the clerk specifically, and she…“ The blonde’s eyes widened slightly when a gentle finger pressed against his lips. 

“Jounouchi, hush.” Seto removed his finger, slipped the lid back onto the box, and set it on the other’s desk. “I’m… touched that you went through all the trouble, but you see, my allergy is so severe that anything produced in a factory that has processed nuts will trigger it.” The brunette’s heart melted at the sudden concern in Jou’s eyes as he scanned the taller teen’s face. 

“Jesus, are you alright?” The blonde stepped closer, searching for any sign of a reaction, his eyes settling on Kaiba’s mouth. “I mean…” Despite his anxiety, Jou couldn’t help but gaze longingly at the full, soft looking lips. “It _did_ touch your mouth, and…” Once again he was silenced by a slim, elegant digit. 

“I’m fine,” Seto assured truthfully, the tingling all but gone. His gaze flicking to the one group of students occupied in the far corner, he leaned even closer to the blonde, his own breathing speeding up when he heard Jou’s gasp of anticipation. “Thank you,” he murmured into the shorter teen’s ear before closing the final distance to his cheek- only to feel the other jerk violently away. Hurt flashed unbidden through his eyes, joined by jealous fury when he saw the cause of Jounouchi’s withdrawal- a petite, wild-haired teen pressed firmly against him, his lips hungrily claiming the surprised-looking blonde’s.

Frantically, Jou tried to push him back, but it was too late; by the time he’d peeled the smaller body from his own, the brunette had grabbed his attaché and was heading for the door. “God _damn_ it,” the blonde growled, roughly grabbing the other and shoving him away. “I don’t know what the _fuck_ is wrong with your head, but if you’ve screwed this up for me, I’ll _never_ forgive you!” With that, he tore off after Kaiba, ignoring the sensei’s protests as he brushed by her in the doorway. 

“Jounouchi-kun, _wait_ ,” Yami managed, finally gaining control and giving chase to the blonde, only to be stopped by the now very irate woman. His shoulders slumping, he returned to Yugi’s seat, trying to wrap his mind around what had just happened. Carefully schooling his features into an interested mask, he faded into their soul room and gazed mournfully at the unconscious form curled on its side on the ground. “Oh, Aibou, _why_?” he murmured dolefully, sinking to the floor next to his soul mate, the wearying effects of forcibly taking over his vessel’s mind coming back to him in a rush. Suddenly, a clicking sound echoed through his mind. Curiosity overtook his exhaustion and he rose to his feet, heading in the direction of the noise. As he passed by the open portal that led to his own room, the pure, gentle light of Yugi’s caught his eye.

Hoping to glean some clue to the reason behind his partner’s sabotage, Yami peered across into the brightness, his sadness and confusion increasing when he found that he could no longer see the boy’s room in its entirety due to a barrier that had been carefully erected around the area he’d always associated with Jounouchi. Sighing heavily, the spirit turned away, knowing he’d have to wait until his host regained consciousness to find out his answers- and then, only if Yugi was willing to tell him. For a while, he meandered aimlessly through the corridors of his own room, his eyes scanning doors he’d seen countless times as he looked for the source of the clicking sound. Turning a corner in the deepest part of the labyrinth, he came to a halt, his gaze widening at the sight of not only a newly opened door, but one right across from it that bore signs of being used recently, as well. “Yugi, what have you done?” he murmured, sighing again when he tried to open the door without success. Turning to the portal that was waiting for him, he reached though his consciousness to check the time remaining in Yugi’s first period and then entered the room, allowing the newly exposed memories to wash through him and flood his mind.

*****

“Kaiba… Kaiba, _wait_!” 

The brunette rolled his eyes and increased his pace, determined to ignore the beseeching voice. 

“Kaiba, _please_ … I _beg_ you…” 

Those last three words brought Seto to a halt, more so from the shock of his prideful rival using them than as a response to the plea. “You have one minute, Yami,” he growled, not bothering to turn around. “And, so help me, if I hear ‘Jounouchi’ or ‘Yugi’ _once_ …” The brunette smirked when his condition was met with silence. “Hnn… thought so…” 

“Kaiba...”

His smirk widened at the warning growl of his name. Finally, he was back on familiar territory. “You’re down to thirty seconds…” 

Yami scowled. He swore he’d never understand what the warm, vivacious blonde saw in the cold, arrogant brunette, but unlike Yugi, he knew that that wasn’t _his_ call to make. “Kaiba, I _know_ that you know it was…” The spirit blinked rapidly, trying to find a way around the taller teen’s ludicrous ‘condition’. “… Katsuya behind those gifts. And, I know that, given the way they seemed chosen to deliberately harm you, you doubt his motives- especially after the stunt my aibou pulled this morning. But, if anything, Katsuya was the one that was played, and rather cruelly, to my dismay. Yu… My aibou took advantage of not only his trusting nature, but his overwhelming desire to win your affections, and wound up hurting you both through his spiteful behaviour.”

Kaiba couldn’t help but laugh. “Spare me, Yami,” he sneered, walking away from the other. “ _Yugi_? Cruel and spiteful? I mean, I can barely _stand_ the runt, and I know better than that. Tell Jounouchi I said ‘nice try’…” 

“My aibou is _not_ a runt,” the spirit growled, instinctively defending his vessel despite his current irritation with the boy. “And, unrequited love can make even the kindest of people perform the cruelest of acts,” he called after the other, his words once again bringing the taller teen to a stop. 

“Yugi loves _me_?” the brunette demanded incredulously, arching a disbelieving brow at the wild-haired male.

_‘Arrogant ass,’_ Yami snorted to himself. “No… he loves Jounouchi-kun.” 

Kaiba snorted and turned away, but not before the other could see the jealousy and hurt flash through his eyes. “Fine,” he muttered, heading once again for the door. “I hope the two of them will be very happy together.” 

“That’s not going to hap… _Kaiba_!” Sighing in frustration, Yami took off after the brunette. “God damn it, Kaiba,” he growled, his usage of the curse word not only causing the taller male to stop again, but also drawing the attention of the few lingering teens in the school yard. Taking the few extra steps to the brunette’s limo he added more quietly, “Jounouchi-kun loves _you_ , not Yugi, and I have proof. _Please_ , Kaiba,” he continued, his voice once again urgent when he saw the other hesitate. “Just come with me and hear me out. Ten minutes of your time is all I ask…”

The brunette scowled, even as he opened the door and permitted the other to climb into the vehicle. “Kame game shop,” he barked into the intercom before turning his glare onto Yami. “This doesn’t mean _anything_ ,” he stated tersely. “I just know you well enough to know that you won’t stop your inane prattling and leave me the hell alone until I hear you out.” 

“Fine.” Yami forced his voice to remain even. “But, we are _not_ going to the game shop.” Brazenly, he reached across the taller teen and depressed the speaker button again, giving the chauffeur an address on the other side of town before settling back into his seat. Falling silent, he met Kaiba’s icy gaze with an impassive one of his own, fighting his urge to continue bickering with the other. Five millennia ago he’d made the mistake of trying to one up the obstinate brunette only to lose everything, and he’d be damned if he’d permit his pride and the other’s arrogance to lure him into doing it again. 

*****  
Kaiba wrinkled his nose as he followed Yami up the dimly lit stairwell, his senses assaulted by the various odors of cooked cabbage, strong curry, and intense garlic. The stairs themselves were uncluttered and quiet, save for the occasional muffled television or conversation that wafted to his ears whenever they’d reach a corridor. Eventually they came to the final landing, and the smaller male fished a key from his pocket, opening one of the three flimsy doors that led off of the small vestibule. 

The tiny, two room apartment that they entered was tidy and smelled quite clean, despite the slight scent that one associated with older houses. Save for the ancient refrigerator and two burner stove, the only other furnishings were a hand-me-down desk and chair in the one corner, and a sofa sleeper in the other- the two pieces sitting so closely together that the alarm clock that sat on the edge of the desk was easily reachable from the bed. As Yami turned on the light, Seto peered into the miniscule bathroom, his eyes widening at the sight of a familiar, green jacket that hung neatly next to the scarce other clothing from a bar that had been fastened to the door.

 

“Jounouchi…” he murmured, turning a piercing gaze on the other teen. 

Yami nodded. “Yes, Jounouchi-kun lives here, _alone_ ,” he added with a smirk when Kaiba’s eyes dropped to the key in his hand. “He has a habit of locking himself out, so he had a copy made to leave at the store. 

“Good,” Kaiba stated coolly, reluctant to let go of his hurt. “It’ll save him the time and money of making one for Yugi. Now tell me,” he demanded, smirking at the other’s low growl. “Exactly why did you waste my time by bringing me here?”

Biting back an equally nasty retort, Yami led him to the desk, grabbing a small book and shoving it at the brunette. “There,” he said curtly, carefully moving Jou’s blanket aside and dropping onto the edge of the bed. “If that doesn’t prove it to you once and for all, then nothing will.” 

Seto stared at the cover for a moment then, unable to glean a clue from the stark black cardboard, reluctantly opened it up. Immediately, he recognized the blonde’s oddly slanted numbers. However, unlike his homework, these were listed in relatively neat columns and were actually legible- despite the multiple scratch lines and eraser marks through the digits. Sharp, cobalt eyes scanned the data and, within moments, Kaiba realized what it was he was looking at. Placing the ledger on the desk, he continued to read through the numbers, his gaze growing softer with each notation that showed funds moved from the blonde’s savings and meal budgets to one that he’d labeled simply, ‘Seto’. 

“There’s more.” Yami’s voice was still solemn, but the brusqueness from before was gone. “Turn to the last page.”

Seto gazed a moment longer at the food column, the blonde’s svelte figure and constant voracious state both coming to mind when he reviewed the paltry food allowance and the negligible balance that remained. “How long has he been on his own?” he asked quietly as he flipped to the back of the book. “And, how long has he been doing _this_?” he demanded, the terseness in his voice belying his inner worry and guilt as he perused what was obviously a work schedule, the length and timing of the hours leaving Jounouchi very little room for homework or sleep. 

“He gained his emancipation a year ago January,” Yami replied coolly, rising from the bed and moving to a wastebasket on the other side of the desk. “As for why, you’ll have to ask him. And, he’s been working the extra hours for almost two weeks now, ever since my aibou gave him this.” The wild-haired male dropped a crumpled ball of paper in front of the other. 

Wordlessly, Seto smoothed out the sheet, a myriad of emotions coursing through him as he scanned Yugi’s original list and Jounouchi’s various notations. The first item, the lilies, had been left unaltered, but a heavy, black line had been put through the ‘scented oils’, the words, ‘allergies, go to three’ jotted beside it in what was undeniably the blonde’s writing. “I don’t understand,” Kaiba said finally, torn between scowling and smirking when he saw that nuts, cats, and opera were listed as the final three, and that Jounouchi had marked through them and had written down his own ideas- only to ‘X’ them out as well and scribble, ‘stupid fucking list!’ in an obviously angry scrawl before crumpling the paper. “Where did Yugi get this information, and why didn’t he just tell Jounouchi how he feels instead of resorting to something so underhanded and cruel?” ‘And so obviously aimed at harming me,’ he added as a silent afterthought. The brunette snorted. “So much for all the ‘friendship’ bullshit he’s spieled at me over the years…”

“There are parts that I remain uncertain about,” Yami sighed. “But, I also know that I am partially to blame.” His crimson eyes tinged with remorse, he met the brunette’s suddenly demanding gaze. “I know that you have never really come to terms with our shared heritage,” he continued, pointedly ignoring Kaiba’s rolling eyes and frustrated huff. “But, if you can be open minded, for Jounouchi-kun’s sake if for nothing more, it might shed some light on how he got into this predicament.” Seeing the brunette’s reluctant nod, he went on. “It seems that, though no mention has ever been found of him in any of the ancient texts or carvings, Jounouchi-kun had an ancient counterpart, as well.” A small smirk curved up Yami’s lips. “And, even back then, there was an attraction between you two. But, just like now, you weren’t the only one who desired to have him,” the smaller teen murmured lowly, his amusement fleeing as suddenly as it had come.

“ _You_?” Seto demanded, the faint tinge of colour staining the other’s cheeks and the guilty expression in his eyes confirming his suspicions. “And, which of us was successful?” he all but growled, his jealousy flaring at the mere thought of his rival claiming the blonde. 

“Neither of us.” Yami’s voice was thick with sorrow and self-loathing. “I… tried to make him my own, but he refused me- said that his heart belonged to someone else. Determined to find out who and eliminate my competition, I had him followed. Shortly thereafter, he was brought to my chambers, the guards having taken him as soon as they had heard him confess his feelings to the other- my high priest, Seth. My anger and jealousy increasing tenfold when I heard who Jounouchi-kun’s counterpart had chosen, I had demanded that he switch his affections to me. When he refused yet again, I…” 

“You _what_?” the brunette demanded, his heart clenching suddenly at the tears that appeared unbidden in Yami’s eyes. 

“I had him executed.” The wild-haired male looked away from Kaiba’s pale face and hate-filled eyes. “Seth, he… he was _livid_. As I mentioned earlier, he returned the blonde’s feelings. But, the other had died without ever knowing. It… was the final straw in a life-long rivalry, and it wasn’t long after that he used his extraordinary skills with the shadow magic to try and remove me from my throne- which ultimately resulted in me losing my memories and being locked inside the puzzle. My desire to keep him from you cost me _everything_ ,” Yami murmured sadly. 

Seto glared at him in furious disbelief. “You sanctimonious _bastard_ ,” he hissed, knocking over the chair as he rose to his feet and towering over the other. “How _dare_ you sit there and mourn your own fate when _he_ was the one who was wronged! And now you’re doing it again, only this time, you’re trying to pin _Yugi_ with the blame!” Much to his ire, instead of admitting to his guilt, Yami merely chuckled and shook his head. “You think that’s _funny_?” Kaiba spat. 

“Not in the least.” Yami sighed and flopped back onto the bed, a small smirk still playing at his mouth. “But, the way that your logic gave way to your hotheadedness reminded me so much of Seth that I couldn’t help but laugh. Honestly, Kaiba,” he scoffed over the brunette’s warning growl. “Do you really think I'm so ignorant that, were I the guilty party, I'd confess to committing such a heinous crime in the past knowing that you would immediately suspect me in the present?” Seeing the brunette relax minutely, he continued. “Anyway, I do have a theory as to how this all came out but, as I said before, there are some points that I am unclear on- points that can only be answered when Yugi awakens, and then only if he’s willing to speak to me. He was rendered unconscious when I forcibly took control to try and stop that kiss,” he explained upon seeing the reluctant curiosity in the other’s eyes. 

Seto’s gaze hardened at the reminder of the embrace and, for a moment, his temper threatened to flare again. However, what Yami had said made sense; the ‘ex-pharaoh’ might be haughty and overbearing, but he was as cunning as they came. Despite his supposed remorse over his previous acts, there was no way the other would willingly incriminate himself. Huffing impatiently, he righted the chair and dropped back down into it as he nodded brusquely. “Go on.”

“I am uncertain as to when Yugi’s feelings for Jounouchi-kun changed to ones of lust, but I do know that he has always been… enamored by him. Jounouchi-kun was the first person- except, of course, for Anzu- to accept him for what he was and not belittle him for his odd interests and small stature. And, Jounouchi-kun made Yugi feel needed, as my aibou was able to provide the innocent friendship and moral support that he needed to bolster his confidence and self-esteem. Conversely, I believe Yugi soon found that arrangement to be a double-edged sword for, the stronger Jounouchi-kun became in ‘self’, the less he obviously needed to rely on his friends. Anyhow, at some point, his desire for Jounouchi-kun grew so strong that it triggered a response in _my_ mind, breaking a seal on my memories. However, I believe that Yugi’s desire and jealousy must be the key, for I myself have been unable to open that door.” 

“ _Please_ ,” Kaiba snorted, once again rising to his feet. “If this _travesty_ is the best you can offer, then you can stop wasting my time right now. I mean, seriously… the idea of Yugi being able to hide such strong emotions from you is barely plausible to begin with, but just _how_ in the hell do you expect me to believe that he unlocked one of _your_ memories without your realization?”

“Honestly, Kaiba,” the other growled. “If you would just be quiet and…” Suddenly, the wild-haired male’s eyes went blank, and the next thing Yami knew, he was sprawled on the floor of the labyrinth. The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was a pair of disdainful, violet eyes glaring down at him as Yugi took control of their body. 

“Because I blocked my every _thought_ , that’s why,” Yugi retorted. “Surprise,” he all but purred upon seeing the brunette’s astonished expression as the taller teen once again dropped back into the chair. “Honestly, the superiority complexes you and Yami both carry can cause you both to be so _dense_ sometimes. Did you really think it would be that difficult for me- the one who put together the puzzle and opened the way to combine our minds- to figure out how to construct an impenetrable barrier around my thoughts and actions?” 

Seto’s lingering doubt must have shown on his face, for Yugi’s smug smirk quickly morphed into an irritated pout. “Well, I _did_!” he snapped, his large eyes narrowing angrily. “ _God_ , I’m so _tired_ of everyone thinking I’m such a clueless innocent! Naïve, little Yugi-kun,” he mocked sneeringly. “He’s so kind and pure… such a _good_ friend, his mind’s simply not _capable_ of producing a malevolent thought! Guess I showed _you two_ ,” he snorted derisively. “And, just think, Kaiba; you have only yourself to blame.” 

“And, how do you figure that?” the brunette asked sharply, the accusation finally bringing him out of his shock. “Or, are you too involved with your little ego boosting party to tell me?” he added with a smirk. 

“Fuck you, Kaiba!” Yugi spat, his ire increasing exponentially at the brunette’s cool attitude. “You just couldn’t leave well enough alone, could you? _No_ ; you had to go and become his _friend _, and now everything’s all screwed up! But I’ll tell you this,” he ranted, his fists clenched by his sides. “Whatever Jounouchi _thinks_ he feels for you, he doesn’t. _I’m_ the only one who can tame him. _I’m_ the only reason he’s not still some loser street thug. _I’m_ the only one who can make him happy. _You’ve_ just confused him into believing otherwise, just like Seth did five millennia ago! He should have been Atem’s then, just like he should be mine now!” __

__The brunette arched a dubious brow. “If that’s the case, then why isn’t Yami the one going after him now?” he demanded coolly._ _

__“Because Seth and that… _slut_ broke his heart,” Yugi retorted angrily. “They scarred him so badly that, despite his loss of memories, his remorse remained seared to his soul and, as some form of twisted penance, he wouldn’t allow himself to become attracted to Jounouchi again. I often wondered why Yami didn’t try for him,” the smaller teen disclosed. “But, I definitely wasn’t complaining. It just meant that I had no competition- until Jounouchi misguidedly decided that he loved _you_. Yami, that baka, was delighted; he even offered to help Jounouchi come up with a way to let you know how he felt. I was _livid_ ,” Yugi scowled darkly. “I knew I had to come up with _some_ way to stop him… and that’s when the door opened for me,” he all but preened. “Yes, Yami knew you were his High Priest and cousin; that knowledge came as soon as he recalled he’d been Pharaoh. But, _this_ door had been blocking all of his _personal_ memories of _you_ : likes, dislikes…” A small, amused smile toyed at the corner of his mouth. “…Allergies… And, the beauty of it was, because he harboured no resentment toward you and no lust for Jounouchi, Yami couldn’t access those memories. The only reason he found out _anything_ about your ancient rivalry was because his confusion over my motives caused a door to open for _him_ ,” he concluded with a pout._ _

__“Well, I guess that pretty much explains it all, ne?” Seto and Yugi both started and turned at the voice, their eyes widening when they saw Jounouchi leaning wearily against his door. “Thanks, Yug’. I’d been wondering.” The blonde’s gaze narrowed abruptly. “Now, get the hell out of my home,” he hissed angrily._ _

__“Jo… Jounouchi-kun, please,” the wild-haired teen pled, timidly taking a step toward the taller male. “You don’t understand… I _love_ you!”_ _

__“You sure the fuck have a funny way of showing it!” Jou snapped, the hurt he felt at the other’s betrayal seeping into his voice and his eyes. “Lying to me, belittling me, trying to deliberately hurt someone that you _know_ is important to me…” A warmth flooded through the brunette’s body when Jou’s gaze fell upon him as he uttered those words. “You’re just _damned_ lucky none of your ‘advice’ did any serious harm to Seto,” he growled, increasing Kaiba’s pleasure tenfold when he stepped behind the chair and lightly placed his hands on the brunette’s shoulders. “’cause then, my being pissed would have been the _least_ of your worries. Jesus, don’t even _start_ with that shit,” Jou scowled when he saw the tears welling in Yugi’s eyes. “You blew it, Bud. _Big_ time. Now, get out before I decide that even our friendship isn’t worth salvaging.” The blonde moved to sit down on the bed, flopping back to gaze up at the ceiling with a sigh when, after casting him a final, stricken look, the smaller male fled the apartment._ _

__After a moment, Seto moved to Jounouchi’s side. “Are you alright?” he asked quietly, reaching out to take the blonde’s hand, and smiling softly when Jou’s fingers instantly interlocked with his own._ _

__“I will be.” Jou tipped his head to the side and offered the brunette a crooked smile. “God knows it’s not the worst that’s ever happened to me- what with my having been a loser street thug and all,” he added wryly._ _

__“Jounouchi…”_ _

__“But, he was wrong about the rest,” Jou continued as if Seto hadn’t spoken, sitting up without breaking eye contact with the other. “The only one I can see making me happy is you and besides…” His gaze darkening slightly despite the soft blush to his cheeks, he murmured, “There’s no way he could_ ever _tame me.”__

__“Is that a fact?” His own eyes deepening their colour in response, Seto dropped Jou’s hand and snaked an arm around his waist, pulling him close to his side. “And, why is that, Puppy?” he purred, his lips mere inches from the other’s._ _

__“For starters, he kisses like a g...” Jou never got to finish his statement. Growling lowly at the memory, Seto possessively claimed the blonde’s mouth, nipping seductively at the full, pouty lips until he was granted the access he desired. Eagerly, he delved into the heat, moaning lowly when he felt Jou fight for control, his last cognizant thought as the blonde lowered them back onto the mattress being that, though he knew he was capable of taming Jounouchi, he wasn’t sure he really even wanted to._ _

__*****_ _

__“So, why _does_ he call you that?”_ _

__“What… _Puppy_?” The blonde chuckled as he shook his head. “He hasn’t called me that in _ages_ ,“ he replied, a soft grin curving up his mouth as it always did when he thought about his lover of almost two months. Ever since that afternoon that Yugi had unwittingly outed himself, Jou and Seto had continued to grow closer. And, though they hadn’t ‘consummated’ their relationship that evening, it hadn’t been long before they had, the exquisite experience of being claimed by the brunette made even more fulfilling when he’d let Jou take him in turn. He and Seto had both been moved to tears by their bonding and, though his current friendship with Yugi was tenuous to say the least, Jounouchi couldn’t _ever_ remember feeling happier… more complete. A low chuckle brought him from his musings and he looked over at Yami, raspberrying him playfully when he saw the knowing grin on the other’s face._ _

__“Fine,” the smaller male chuckled. “Why _did_ he call you ‘Puppy’, then?” _ _

__“Because it was something special for _him_ ,” Jou stated, his smile widening slightly at the memory. “It was something that nobody else called me but Seto.”_ _

__“So, all along, it’s been more of a er… _pet_ name, than an insult?” Yami laughingly ducked the blonde’s playful swipe at the pun. “Then, why doesn’t he still use it?” he asked curiously. _ _

__“He’s uh… found something else he likes better,” Jou explained almost shyly, a contented light entering his eyes and accompanying the pleased blush that appeared on his cheeks. Intrigued, Yami went to press for more information, only to have the bell on the store entrance ring._ _

__“Katsuya…?”_ _

__Jou’s colour deepened at the sound of the purring tenor calling out his given name. “Later, Yami,” he murmured, flashing him a brilliant grin as he slid from the counter and all but ran to the door._ _

__Unable to help himself, Yami glanced up into the rounded security mirror, a gentle smile of his own forming when he saw the couple locked in a passionate embrace. “Good for you, Jounouchi-kun,” he whispered sincerely as the two finally exited, ignoring the brief tug of jealousy that he attributed to Yugi’s skulking about. “And, you too, Kaiba,” he added, thinking wistfully of his high priest. His heart feeling lighter than it had in millennia, he began to close up the store. While he would never forget the horrendous act he had committed all those years ago, he took great comfort in the fact that things were again as they should be. As he turned off the lights and headed upstairs, he contemplated the numerous doors that held back so many of his memories. Now that he had finally atoned for his past indiscretions, perhaps they would begin to open, and he, like Jounouchi and Kaiba, could finally be complete._ _


End file.
